Meet My Friend Anthony…The Epitome of the PPGS

I met Anthony around 4 years ago at the PGA Merchandise Show's Club Demo Day at the Orange County National Golf Club driving range. I was walking on the practice tee with Greg MacDonell, PGA, my head instructor, and saw Anthony getting ready to hit some balls with a club rep checking him out on a launch monitor.

The second I saw him, I grabbed Greg by the arm and dragged him toward the crowd that had gathered to watch Anthony. As we hastily walked I told Greg that we were about to see the poster player for the PPGS. He exemplified all aspects of the swing to the max, probably even better than me. How can that be, you are probably thinking to yourself as you read this? I have said I do the PPGS as well as anyone and use myself as the model for the PPGS. Now I am extolling Anthony as probably the epitome of the PPGS.

As I said in yesterday's article, Anthony has some unique characteristics. Anthony's full name is Anthony Netto. Anthony is a South African golf professional who had an automobile accident and now is a paraplegic golfer. He called me Tuesday from Germany and we talked for two hours. We had not talked or visited since last August when I saw him at the PGA Tour's Deutsche Bank Championship in Massachusetts. The Deutsche Bank Championship, like many PGA Tour events, offers all military personnel free admission. Anthony was there to do a hitting exhibition to show the benefits of playing golf to help disabled soldiers in their rehab and future lives.

Anthony knew after the accident and his paralysis that he had to find a way to keep playing golf. Present day wheel chairs only allow paraplegics the option to play sitting down. This is difficult as the swing is so flat. Hitting the ball any distance is basically nothing more than like hitting wedges, even with a driver. So he helped invent the most awesome wheelchair. He calls it the Para Golfer.

It has the shape of an egg, with the golfer sitting in the rounded end which has two wheels and one at the back or pointed end. The Para Golfer can turn circles on a dime. It is operated by a joy stick that, when put in I guess we can call it super fine mode, can be used for adjusting alignment and move in fractions of an inch.

The major feature of the Para Golfer is that the seat is powered by a lift system that can raise golfers to where they are literally standing up in a golf posture position to make a vertical golf swing. This way they are able to swing their arms and hit the ball considerably more solid, straight and farther than sitting down. In fact, they can hit the ball as far as able bodied golfers.

This standing up feature of the Para Golfer is important because Anthony told me that it has been MEDICALLY PROVEN that standing up often, as happens when playing every golf shot strapped in the Para Golfer, really helps paraplegics overall well being. He said that it helps their blood pressure, activates nerves to re-generate, stops ligaments from shortening and stops pressure skin sore problems, to name a few benefits.

Anthony Netto is on a mission — or two or three. He is driven to getting paraplegics and all disabled persons the proper equipment and help to become active and play golf and other sports, and do other life tasks that add value and heath benefits. Anthony is especially focusing on helping disabled veterans returning home from the wars and getting them out on the course and playing fields, and just plain into the real world. Anthony also does a lot of work with junior golfers. For that matter, he's there for anyone who wants and needs help to be active.

I hope to help Anthony get his message out and get his Para Golfer in the hands of more veterans and anyone who needs mobility. Heck, I have seen the Para Golfer, and as motorized wheel chairs go, it has no match in performance. So, if anyone needs a motorized wheel chair, the Para Golfer is the answer. I can't say for sure, but I believe it is price competitive at around $15,000.00.

Now, let's get back to Anthony and his hitting golf balls and his PPGS. When in the Para Golfer, Anthony is strapped in with one strap at his knees with his feet resting on a platform. There is another larger strap just above his waist. Anthony told me he has no weight shift in the backswing or weight transfer in the forward swing. He has no torso turn because he is strapped in. He said all he has is a little shoulder turn to where his 'forward arm is over his toe line' and his swing is 'ALL ARMS!'

Because he has no weight transfer and turn to the finish facing the target his forward arm has to break down in the follow through after the club reaches parallel to the ground to swing his arms up over his front shoulder. This is the same thing I have to do when I demonstrate a no body movement swing, except for swinging the arms to show how far arms alone can hit a golf ball.

I asked Anthony what his average driver club head speed is and his average driving distance is when he let's one fly for show. He said with pride, '120 plus MPH for club head speed and 300 plus yards carry for distance. Number 1 in driving distance on the PGA Tour is Robert Garriugus at 312.0 yards and Phil Mickelson is #13 at 300.1 yards. At the Deutsche Bank ball hitting demonstration and clinic last year he told me they measured his drives with laser devices and one drive, with roll out, went 340 yards.

You can all meet my friend, Anthony Netto by clicking on this link to his personal website: . You can also Google Anthony Netto and find many places to see his swing and hear his message.

I am sure you, like me, will agree that Anthony is the epitome of the PPGS. He is proof positive that big torso turn and rotation is not needed. And, as I have been saying and preaching regarding the limited turn ¾ PPGS, the 'going green' pure energy alternative, plain and simple, is: 'SWINGING YOUR ARMS FASTER.'

The Surge!

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